Three years ago, Dean Reese, who teaches a range of science courses from physics to biology at Tracy High School, met a very rare student—a student who would pursue professional research endeavors from the moment he entered Reese’s classroom, a student who would eventually garner both regional and national acclaim for his work, and a student who would ultimately change his teaching practice.

Isfar Munir, now a senior and the recent recipient of the Sacramento Regional Science and Engineering Fair’s Grand Prize Award, qualified for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, which will be held in Los Angeles in May.

Reese met Munir when he transferred to Tracy High School after his family relocated from Florida. As soon as Munir enrolled, he immediately approached Reese, and asked him to be his mentor.

A sophomore at the time, Munir proceeded to make a connection with a UC Davis professor.

“I really took a back seat role at the time,” says Reese, who credits Munir with the drive, talent, and focus that have resulted in his regional and national success.

“He did all the work for his project. He contacted the professors, he drove out there.”

But where Reese refuses to credit himself, Noll characterizes the dynamic differently.

“It’s wonderful,” he says. “The science department put a lot of hard work in; they’re trying to give them some real world experiences.”

Soon, Munir was committed to spending his summer at the Davis campus, conducting research for his project.

His research involves a Tesla coil—an electrostatic generator that discharges charge, which Reese describes as a “mini-lightning machine”—and how temperature, pressure, and humidity of air affect the angle at which the arc of electricity discharges.

If you’re at all confused by that, imagine a static shock that a person can experience. As charge fills up in one thing, it can release from one point to another. That’s the discharge. Munir examined the way that properties of air, like temperature and pressure, affected that discharge.

So Munir headed to UC Davis with his mini-lightning machine, and partnered with a professor who had access to a chamber where the properties of air could be manipulated. Originally, the chamber was used for botanical purposes, to test plant growth, but it ended up being a perfect environment for Munir’s research.

“He basically said, ‘Can I put my Tesla coil in there and run my experiment?’ And they agreed.”

Munir’s drive, according to his mentor, stems from a captivation that spans a variety of disciplines.

“I think he’s fascinated by the fundamental aspect of his research. He loves physics, he’s a voracious reader. He reads physics texts all the time.”

Noll credits Reese with recognizing Munir’s talent and putting him in positions to succeed.

“His science teachers gave him opportunities and he just took them and ran.”

Since the day that they met, Munir made his aspirations to be a scientist clear to Reese, who believes that Munir has already accomplished that goal at Tracy High School.

“This is the closest thing you can do to conducting real science as a high school student. So it’s only natural for someone like him to conduct this kind of research, because this is science.”

According to Reese, many students at Tracy High School conduct their own research, but a variety of factors makes Munir unique.

“I don’t usually see a student who is willing to follow up on their first year research,” says Reese.

Munir has been working on his research for three years.

“The discipline to stay with the same question for that long is very rare.”

And in Reese’s eyes, Munir’s exceptional qualities stretch beyond his dedication, as well.

“We may not have another student make it to Intel for another 20 years. That’s very rare.”

Next year, Munir will attend Haverford College, where he plans to major in physics. But according to Reese, he has left an indelible mark, not only on his school, but on his teachers.

“After his success sophomore year, we spent a lot of time promoting science fair. He’s come in with me to speak to my science classes to push student involvement.”

Since then, several students have entered the science fair each year.

“He’s basically helped me create a culture of student involvement in the science fair,” says Reese. “A lot of students have benefitted from his enthusiasm.”

Reese remains reticent about answering questions geared toward his involvement in Munir’s successes, continually crediting his student. But he volunteers this information, instead about Munir’s effect on him.

“He’s had an impact on me and my teaching practice,” says Reese.

“I’m really grateful.”

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